Home of Hope Beirut — January 2023 Update

From 1975 to 1990, civil war raged in Lebanon, causing enormous destruction. As a result, countless families were torn apart, and many children were forced to search the streets for food and usable materials. Increasing social conflicts and rising criminality among unprotected children eventually led to the establishment of Home of Hope (HOH) in 1999 as the first Lebanese institution to care for street children. HOH is part of the Lebanese Evangelical Society, which runs several schools including one for children with special needs.

Middle East, Partnership, Projects, Vulnerable ChildrenThe Outreach FoundationFebruary 1, 2023Home of Hope Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon

Thank You from Ukraine

In November, The Outreach Foundation paid a visit to our partners in Ukraine who are living and serving so many people on the front lines of this war. The video captures key moments from that visit and we want to share this with you as a thank you. You made this visit possible and the gifts we brought to them were truly appreciated.

Important News, Europe, Partnership, ProjectsThe Outreach FoundationJanuary 31, 2023Ukraine Appeal, Ukraine

War Relief for the People of Ukraine — January 2023

Since February 2022, The Outreach Foundation has disbursed over 1.4 million dollars to partners providing integrated ministry to war-affected families in Ukraine and to many who have fled. This incredible show of support was made possible through the generous donations of congregations and donors across the U.S. The Outreach Foundation has fielded three teams to the region since war broke out in Ukraine. Our latest visit was in November, and we were able to reach the border between Poland and Ukraine.

Emergency Appeals, Europe, Partnership, ProjectsThe Outreach FoundationJanuary 26, 2023Ukraine Appeal, Ukraine

Cuba Partnership — January 2023 Update

After an absence of several years, it was a blessing to return to Cuba in December with several of our trustees (Doug Nielson and Deena Candler) and Executive Director (Mark Mueller) to reunite with a key partner (the Presbyterian Reformed Church) and be inspired by their faithfulness during the difficult times through which they are passing. We visited eight congregations, here is a glimpse into a few of them….

Latin America, Partnership, ProjectsThe Outreach FoundationJanuary 19, 2023Cuba Partnership, Cuba

Stories From the Front in Ukraine — January 2023

In November 2022, The Outreach Foundation fielded a team of six to meet Dr. Ivan Rusyn, President of the Ukrainian Evangelical Theological Seminary (Kyiv), and Father Oleh Kindii, a priest with the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (Lviv). The team brought a few hundred pounds of relief supplies and shuttled them from Warsaw, Poland to the Medyka border with Ukraine.

New Church Development in Egypt — January 2023 Update

In November, a team from The Outreach Foundation made a trip back to Egypt (the second one in 2022) and traveled to the south of the country, not far from the border with Sudan. This southernmost Presbytery of the Synod of the Nile is geographically large, but the Presbyterian churches are few — but not for long, as a vibrant church planting initiative is on the rise here. Rev. Kimmy Briggs (on her fourth trip with Outreach), reflects on a day of visits to a country rich in culture and history — and in opportunities for the Good News!

Middle East, ProjectsThe Outreach FoundationJanuary 12, 2023New Church Development in Egypt, Egypt

Haiti Outreach Ministries

The Best Back to School Ever!

We are thrilled to share the news that the HOM-sponsored schools successfully reopened yesterday. This was a day students and faculty had been eagerly awaiting since last September, when the opening day was initially postponed and then made impossible by rising insecurity.

Syria/Lebanon Partnership — December 2022 Update

Crossing the mountains from Latakia brought us to the old city of Hama. A warren of tightly packed streets led us to the unobtrusive front door of the National Evangelical Church, founded in 1869. This was the first visit for all of us.

Stepping through the front door, we entered a courtyard where the ghosts of laughter and children playing seemed to surround us. The church operated a highly respected school here in Hama for many years until it was closed by the government in the late 1960s. The old classrooms are gathering dust today, but it does not take much to imagine this place filled with life.

Middle East, Partnership, ProjectsThe Outreach FoundationDecember 20, 2022Syria Lebanon Partnership, Syria, Lebanon, Syria Appeal

Children's Bible Ministry in Guanabacoa, Cuba — December 2022 Update

A Joyful Return

After a four-year absence from Cuba, largely due to the coronavirus pandemic, it was a delight to return with an Outreach Foundation team and reconnect with our beloved Presbyterian family there. We arrived at the Presbyterian Church in Guanabacoa in time to share in the Wednesday morning prayer service, led by Rev. Yoelkis Sierra and one of the elders, who brought a message on Acts 3:2 — the lame man carried to the temple each day to beg. This question followed: do we see the needs of our neighbors? The congregation has answered that question by providing “meals on wheels” to the poor and elderly in their community and by joining with the local municipality to renovate a run-down playground for local children.

Bicycles to Baptism — Liverpool

Thank you to our friends with The Antioch Partners who are living and working with Shapoor in the UK. This story is just one example of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit among the Persian-speaking community, and we are glad to share it with you. Also, thank you to the congregations and donors who are making stories like these possible!

When we first met Mohammed, Parham, Soheil, Pouya, Artum, and Jabal back in February, their warmth, friendship, and desire to learn more about Christianity and Christ were evident. Soheil was already a believer and had fled Iran after his house church had been broken up by the religious police.

Home of Hope Beirut — November 2022 Update

By Lois Andrews, Trustee-elect, who was in Lebanon this summer and spent two days at Home of Hope

It was my privilege and great honor to spend extra days at the Home of Hope in Beirut, Lebanon during a visit of women from The Outreach Foundation attending the Women’s Conference at Dhour Chouier. This compassionate abode is the home of twenty-four children who reside full-time under the vision and direction of Rev. Linda Maktaby, run by the Lebanese Evangelical Society, and joyfully supported by The Outreach Foundation.

Middle East, Partnership, ProjectsThe Outreach FoundationDecember 1, 2022Home of Hope Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon

Mexico Partnership — November 2022 Update

In October 2021, a team from The Outreach Foundation journeyed to Mexico City to meet and form a partnership with the National Presbyterian Church of Mexico (INPM). The Presbyterian church is alive and thriving south of the border with 6,000 churches and over three million members. The focus of our partnership with the INPM is to support church plants. Executive Director Mark Mueller and I recently returned to México to visit these church plants, accompanied by the INPM leadership team.

Joyful News from Ukraine — CTSS Counseling Center Graduation

Because of the CTSS Counseling Center, the region has trained counselors who can feed Jesus’ sheep in new ways. With their compassion and attentive ears, they will show a God who loves them and people will be healed over time.

Update from Ukraine – Gratitude

In early November, a team from The Outreach Foundation met with dear friend Father Oleh Kindii of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church at the border between Ukraine and Poland. We handed over supplies designated specifically for the medical divisions working with the Ukrainian military. The picture here is from the 63 Separate Mechanized Brigade. The precise identity and location are hidden.

Haiti Outreach Ministries — Desperation and Dedication

The situation in Haiti continues to be very difficult. Here are just some of the observations that our Haitian colleagues in Port-au-Prince have shared in recent days:

"You can see the desperation on the face of every Haitian."
”Just this afternoon, I saw three people being kidnapped."
"It is so frustrating that the children cannot go to school. They are all asking, 'When can we go back?' "

Latin America, Partnership, ProjectsThe Outreach FoundationNovember 22, 2022Haiti Outreach Ministries, Haiti

Ukraine War Relief Update — College of Theology and Social Sciences Counseling Center

“Above all, we pray for every family and child who walks through these doors that they will leave here healthy and knowing they are loved by God.”
Aneta Montano, CTSS

Children are suffering terribly from the war and CTSS is responding in a healthy manner. The Outreach Foundation has been privileged to play a role in the development of this center

New Church Development in Egypt — November 2022 Update

Sharona Island is a medium-sized village in Upper Egypt that is actually an island in the Nile River. With a majority Christian population, the Presbyterian Church was established in 1898. The ministry of this church grew rapidly in recent years under the leadership of Rev. Mahrous Ayed, a graduate of the Evangelical Theological Seminary of Cairo (ETSC), an Outreach partner.

Middle East, Partnership, ProjectsThe Outreach FoundationNovember 17, 2022New Church Development in Egypt, Egypt, Tharwat Wahba

A Difficult Day in Kyiv, Ukraine

Dr. Ivan Rusyn, President of the Ukraine Evangelical Theological Seminary in Kyiv, sent us this quote today : “Today (November 15) was a difficult day with rockets flying over our heads. We took a video of one rocket that was destroyed by a fighter jet just above the seminary.”

Emergency Appeals, Europe, Projects, PartnershipThe Outreach FoundationNovember 16, 2022Ukraine Appeal, Ukraine

Partner Updates